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Ian Brady's body to be disposed with 'no music and no ceremony', judge rules

Ian Brady died earlier this year but his body has not yet been disposed of. Credit: PA

Moors Murderer Ian Brady's body must be disposed of with "no music and no ceremony", a judge has ruled.

The decision was announced at the High Court in London on Friday by the Chancellor, Sir Geoffrey Vos.

Brady, who used the name Ian Stewart-Brady, died aged 79 on 15 May this year.

Sir Geoffrey had been asked by two local authorities to make decisions relating to the disposal of the serial killer's body so that it can be "lawfully and decently disposed of without further delay".

His body had been released to his solicitor Robin Makin four days after his death. Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council and Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council had asked the court act after Mr Makin had failed to make proper arrangements for the disposal of his client's body.

There had been concerns Brady's remains would be scattered on Saddleworth Moor near Manchester where he buried four of his victims.

The judge ruled against Brady's request to have the fifth movement of Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique played at his funeral.

The judge said: "Taking into account all the competing positions, the overwhelming factor in this case is the public interest.

"The deceased's wishes are relevant, but they do not outweigh the need to avoid justified public indignation and actual unrest. It was not doubted that Mr Makin could be trusted.

"The claimants were right to seek to ensure that there is a lawful and decent disposal of the deceased's body without causing justified public indignation or unrest.

"Mr Makin has not been justified in being so secretive about how he was intending to dispose of the deceased's body.

"Had he discussed the matter openly with the claimants and with Sefton Borough Council and given clear undertakings that he was not intending to scatter the deceased's ashes in their areas, these proceedings might have been avoided.

"Even now, he has refused to say what he intends to do with the ashes if he is allowed custody of them.

"Mr Makin cannot, therefore, be entrusted with the ashes for disposal.

"Even if I were to limit him to private ground, against his wishes, that ground might be somewhere where public access was possible."

Brady and Myra Hindley, who died in prison in 2002, tortured and murdered five children and teenagers, in the 1960s.

He was sentenced to life in 1966 after being convicted of the murders of John Kilbride, aged 12, Lesley Ann Downey, 10, and Edward Evans, 17.

He later confessed to the murders of Keith Bennett, 12, and Pauline Reade, 16, together with Hindley.

The remains of Keith Bennett have never been found despite extensive searches, one as recently as 2014.